Not Understanding the Concept

To answer your second question 1st, no, I'm not. I refuse to be part of the problem, or jump in a race to the bottom. My hopper is parked, which is sad becaue I really enjoy pullinig it. I don't even attempt to haul the grain off of our farm, and know several others in my area that have trucks and trailers who don't haul theirs either. Their trucks go from the combine to the bins, that's it. Until things turn around, I'll happily keep puling my other trailer.

In the past I've heard the argument that the rate isn't listed because the person posting the load wants to you to tell them your rate, like normal business operates everywhere else on the planet. However, it has been my experience, that every time you give them a reasonable rate, they come back with, "oh no, that's too high, it's paying x-amount, which is most likely the low rates you are talking about. I got tired of hearing, "it's a backhaul rate", on a load going to no mans land, or, "it's not an out and back rate", either way, in these times, there is no such thing in my opinion. There is "the rate" period. Anything else is an attempt to justify a s--tty rate. Additionally, if I'm hired to go from point A to point B, then anything after that is no ones business. If the next load has to subsidise the A to B load, then in my opinion, A to B was too cheap. I've also been told, which I believe to be true, we are our own worst enemy. As long as someone is willing to move loads at those rates, there will continue to be ridiculously low rates. I also don't believe the argument that says; "the commodity cost doesn't support a rate that high", especially when the people moving the product post record earnings, or are buying new facilities, and expanding their operations. It seems in this game, everyone in the loop is allowed to make their particular profit margin, except the trucks. I'm sure someone who reads this will say, "I've been in business for the past 100 years and I'm doing just fine". To them I say, good for you. Either you have other streams of income, perhaps the unicorn of customers that everyone else is looking for, you are doing your best to keep old equipment on the road, or your bar of "good" just isn't that high, because no one, I don't care what you do, can make "good money" at $2.00 a mile.

I suggest listening to the podcast on Bulkloads that recently came out talking about this topic. I agree with part of it, and other parts, not so much. In closing, I stay a Bulkloads subscriber for these conversations, the value I get is worth the cost. There are some great people on Bulkloads, and a lot of experience. I listen to many of the podcasts, try to bring humor and my opinions to the forums, keep up with the news tab, etc. I do not however expect to find decent paying loads on here. This has turned into the same thing the DAT board is, several people listing the same load, stale, non existant loads, extremely cheap loads, and it is being over run with dispatchers playing broker. Just take a look at the jobs tab. I will say there are some very good brokers on this site, however, their good paying loads are not usually posted.

Sorry for the long response, have a good day. I'm going back to work on the trailer problem I have.

Thank you, and I agree the commodity and asking rate would be a nice start. Maybe they don't post it because they are embarrassed to put it out there. If you call them, decline, and call them out on the forums, they have deniability! Even the home every night guys are selling themselves short. Heck, I've been looking at OTR hopper rates and can't seem to get anything anywhere close to what it should be, or where it is with a different trailer. I just don't understand it. Either way, I'm happy to let my hopper sit. Just for the record to anyone reading this, there is no truck shortage, there is a "cheap" truck shortage, and It hope it gets way worse. I know where several great carriers are that are ready and willing to get under their hoppers, just not for these rates.

Like it was said before, use this as a tool. A tool to make relationships with good brokers that are willing to pay a good carrier a fair price. Most everything the brokers post on here are loads that they couldn't get their go to guys to haul so the left over scraps get posted. That's how things have worked for me anyway. I have a few brokers that I primarily work with and they call me before they post the loads to see if I want them. It is also a great tool to bridge the deadhead miles between those good paying loads that are direct from the broker. I do agree that the locals that want to be home every night are responsible for killing the rates in a lot of places. They are willing to run for next to nothing in order to be home every night. I also agree that it is very frustrating that the people posting aren't required to put the rate or the commodity on the posting.